Imaginary Brainstorming

If you have more than eight people, split them into equally divided groups. If you have less than four participants, use a different idea-generation approach such as Imaginary Brainstorming (Technique 19) or Random Stimulus (Technique 21). Either way, select a mixed team that includes people who are familiar with the issue at hand as well as outsiders who can promote a new perspective. 

When you re struggling to develop innovative ideas around a particular area. Imaginary Brainstorming encourages a fun atmosphere where wild and crazy ideas can be put forward, and people can participate without intimately understanding the technicalities of the problem. 

If you conduct classic brainstorming before Imaginary Brainstorming, you ll identify the most obvious and common ideas. Then you can encourage the team to go beyond these ideas during Imaginary Brainstorming. 

Looking at our history department example (persuade students to submit assignments on time), we can identify an action (persuade), an object (students) and a context (submit assignments on time). The subject (professors) is implied. Document your answers on an Imaginary Brainstorming worksheet (Exhibit 19.1). 

Classic brainstorming typically uncovers ideas near the surface of our consciousness. Imaginary Brainstorming digs deeper by leveraging make-believe situations to trigger subconscious creativity. 

Persuade students to submit assignments on time Imaginary Brainstorming ... 

Now brainstorm ways to solve the imaginary problem. For instance, if dirty ears were really an issue on campus you could hold public ear inspections, provide scented soap in the bathrooms, or give awards to students with the cleanest ears. 

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